Saturday, June 11, 2011

Silek, Martial Arts From Minangkabau

Assalamualaikum.wr.wb  


Each region would have the martial arts. Including the Minangkabau. Here are the martial arts in the call by Silek. Silek Minangkabau ( Silat Minangkabau) is a martial art which is owned by the people of Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia passed down from generation to generation from generation to generation. Minangkabau society has a somewhat wandering disposition since hundreds of years ago. Wander, of course, they should have enough stock in keeping away from the worst things during travel or on the coastline, such as being attacked or robbed people. In addition to provisions for going abroad, Silek important for defense against threats from outside the village. 
Minangkabau region in the central part of Sumatra as other areas in the archipelago region is a fertile area and an important producer of spices since the first century AD, therefore, of course, security threats can come from visitors to the area of ​​this archipelago. So the function of martial arts can be divided into two, as

* Panjago diri (to defend themselves from enemy attack), and
* Parik Paga dalam nagari(the country's defense system).

For two reasons, the Minangkabau society within which the first must have a good defense system to defend themselves and the country from the threat of the enemy at any time. Silek not only as a tool for self-defense, but also inspire or be the basis of movements of dance (drama Minangkabau) randai. That the development of martial arts movements into art is a strategy for ancestral Silat Minangkabau always repeated in peacetime and for the provision of "energy" of the martial arts which tend to heat and hard to be gentle and calm. In the meantime, if viewed from the side of the term, saying the martial arts in Silek tuo understanding (professor of martial arts) is mancak and Silek. The difference of the word is:

* The word is said and mancak or Silek Bungo (silat interest) is a form of martial arts dance movement is exhibited in the traditional ceremony or other ceremonial occasions. These movements try mancak as beautiful and as good as possible because of the show.

* The word itself does not Silek dance again, but an art of fighting that used to defend themselves from enemy attack, so the movement as little as possible effort, rapid, precise, and paralyze the opponent.

The Silek tuo also said mamancak jiko in galanggang, if musuah (enemy) dimuko basilek (if you do martial dance in the arena, whereas if bersilat face the enemy). Therefore, the Silek tuo (professors) are rarely willing to demonstrate their expertise in public what steps they paralyze the enemy. Therefore, in the tradition of Minangkabau silat festival, audiences will be disappointed if you expect the two professors (Silek tuo) down to the arena to show how they attack each other and defend each other with deadly movement. Both mancak Silek tuo and it just did not hurt each other trying to play against them, because other tuo Silek dropping the show will have an impact not so good for tuo Silek the "losing". In everyday practice, if a martial arts teacher asked if they could bersilat, they usually answer with a fine and said that they could only mancak (martial arts), but they taught Silek (silat). This is the humble nature of island-style community, they say, do not exalt yourself, let the facts do the talking. So said the martial arts and eventually difficult to distinguish. Today, after Silek Minangkabau studied by strangers, they showed us how they're doing deadly attacks. Silek tuo reluctance is understandable because Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch for hundreds of years, and demonstrate the ability to fight definitely will not be accepted by the colonizers in the first, this is clearly harmful to their position.

There are opinions that say martial art that originated from the word Silek. Silek said that some residents consider siliek derived from, or clay, because it was so very crooked and slippery as an eel. In each Nagari have a place to learn martial arts or goals also called Silek, led by a teacher who called Tuo Silek. Tuo Silek has a duty to help her right hand to teach beginners.

People who are adept at playing silat called pandeka (warrior). This Pandeka degree in dilewakan first time (confirmed) by niniak mamak (leader) prevalent in the villages respectively. But at the time of colonization by the Dutch government suspended the title. Pandeka act as Paga turvy in the village (the country's security guards), so they needed in creating a safe and peaceful country.

 

Wassalam,wr,wb